Tools of the Trade

Haile Unlikely's professional equipment. . .


Behind the scenes at HAILE UNLIKELY is the subterranean laboratories of SHY-STAR RECORDINGS, a division of of B.F.D. HEAVY INDUSTRIES of BABYLON, NY. Their sweatshop recording facilities produce all of Haile Unlikelys' music, video, animation, video and graphics. Their BFD transmission hub handles internet transmission and web site updates to fans around the world. BFD engineers will be busy throughout Q1 and Q2 of 2007 to re-work their analog classic 'Long Islands' Reggae Ambassadors' and add several new tracks in preparation for their major label release.

The band now records using their own fully-digital 16 track recording studio - ShyStar Studios. The band keeps total creative control over their haile indulgent, self-produced, over-produced masterpieces using the KORG 1600D recording system.


The single 'WOMAN' was the first to be recorded using the new system and Woman hit the charts in early 2003 to . . . well, lets just say they were less-than-approving reviews - even from HU's most fervent fans. This production was given a big, stiff and dirty thumbs-down from everyone from its writer - Ras Crispy - to terrestrial and net radio - including Lister and Miss Pamela, the President of the HU fan club! . . . . . The only ones who liked this song were bloated attorney Dave who produced the track and HU guitar-slinger-for-hire Dread Feardem. Well it was a FIRST effort on the D-1600, using our old road mics.

The original studio version of KING NUKLA was released in November 2003 - 1 year before election time to much better results collaborating with co-producer Christie Defeo. This song led to wide radio airplay and even a gig at the fabled SOB's in NYC.

After that, we deceided to get serious and purchase more studio gear to get a better sound next time. The band recently added the AKG 3000b studio condenser microphine to the inventory.

Then . . . In August 2004 we got the news - WOMAN is a HIT IN FRANCE! Thanks to Prince Thierry of MEGA 99.2 in France for playing WOMAN. God knows nobody else did. Prince Thierry says on the air that the track is an 'excellent bien bien roots'. Listen to Prince Thierry on the web MEGA 92 from Lyon, France.



Warren plays a Fender Stratocaster and a Fender Telecaster. The tele is a new 3 pickup Nashville Telecaster with a maple neck and the Tex-Mex pickups. The strat is not just any old stock Fender Stratocaster from Sam's Ass - Warren customized the guitar himself adding a panic button as well as an eject button.



Warren also plays an old Epiphone Granada E-444-T, circa 1963, the year of the flood. This Epiphone is listed and pictured in The Great American Guitar Book. The neck is still straight, but the remainder is gay. It's been knocked off the stage a total of six times. Once by Crispy, a field goal attempt at Beefstock '96. The damn thing landed right in the mosh pit with an El Kabong sound that stilled the audience. That same night, loyal fan Jason Kegtoss did the forward momentum drunk-guy walk and basically steamrolled the old girl. Much to the band's surprise, she was ok. . .no bruises, no broken strings, but since the tele arrived, the Epiphone has been officially retired from road service as of March 2001. She'll be put out to pasture to breed with other vintage guitars.

Babylon's sound comes from a Roland Blues Cube, BC-60 amp that really kicks out a crisp, clean vibe. In addition, Warren uses a Gibson Falcon guitar amplifier, circa 1959, that's right, 1959, before most of you young 'uns were born. He only uses the Falcon for studio work and one other song - a cover of Born on the Bayou from Creedence. You just cant beat that 1959 tremolo and reverb sound...
Bodacious plays any number of WAY FUNKY bass guitars including a custom 6-string, fretless and vintage Rickenbacker - Paul McCartney - Bass. All HU's guitar players use DIGITECH guitar effects. They're versatile, rugged and priced right.





Ras Crispy plays a Korg CX3 church organ, a Roland XP-10 multi-timbral synthesizer, a Roland E-5 intelligent synthesizer, a and a vintage fully analog Roland JUNO-6...simultaneously using his hands, feet, tongue and crank.

J-Roy plays an 88-key, loaded Roland RD-700, a keyboard critics call the "best digital piano ever!" He also kicks it on a new Alesis synth and a vintage analog Roland JUNO-60. These keyboyz started breaking these boards in Albany, New York back in the eighties playing roots reggae, Zeppelin, Sabbath and whatever else their dorm pals could stomach before calling the campus police.











The keys are mixed down direct through a Samsom SD-8 with the assistance of a ZOOM 16/16 effects module, and a Behringer sub-mixer, all cranking through a pair of Crate PE 15H speakers assisted by Yamaha monitors and a Qsc 850 monitor amp. The SD-8 has built-in Zoom 1202 studio world class reverb and delay effects with up to 265 variations for more sonic possibilities. The power amp delivers 250 watts a side into 4 ohms and has a 3 band EQ on each channel, as well as a 10 band graphic master EQ on the main output...enough to kick ass at Hamptons beach parties and in local New York superclubs.

The band sings through Shure BG 1.1 microphones.


HU uses BRYCE 3D to produce their graphics and animations.


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